ESPN gives John Kruk marquee on-air assignment

Dec. 3, 2012
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ESPN analyst John Kruk / Rich Arden/ESPN

by Michael Hiestand, USA TODAY Sports

by Michael Hiestand, USA TODAY Sports

ESPN has announced John Kruk will be the new analyst for its marquee Sunday night MLB games.

Kruk will replace Terry Francona, who recently left ESPN to manage the Cleveland Indians. Francona had replaced Bobby Valentine, who'd left TV work to manage the Boston Red Sox -- and has since been fired.

Kruk retired in 1995 after playing 10 MLB seasons and has been an ESPN studio analyst since 2004. ESPN vice president Mike McQuade says Kruk got the new assignment because "he's intelligent, he's opinionated and he brings a ton of personality."